Politics

The City of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Firefighters IAFF Local 1 have reached a compromise on ending a residency requirement for firefighters. The residency requirement was incorporated into the city charter in 2013 for firefighters and police officers.

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The Supreme Court of Idaho has upheld the constitutionality of the state’s cancer presumption law for firefighters, in a challenge brought by a city contesting a firefighter’s right to workers’ comp benefits for leukemia. Captain Richard Nelson served as a firefighter in Pocatello

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A US District Court judge has issued an preliminary injunction ordering the city of East Chicago, Indiana to return its firefighters to a 24-48 schedule. Judge Simon concluded that Mayor Copeland forced the firefighters to a schedule in retaliation for supporting an opposing candidate in violation of their 1st Amend. rights.

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A volunteer fire company in Darby Township, Pennsylvania, has been suspended by township officials following allegations that racial slurs and racist remarks were made during a virtual meeting in late January. The Briarcliffe Fire Company was suspended by the Darby Township’s Board of Commissioners yesterday.

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The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed a ruling by Boone County Superior Court that under local law, the mayor of Zionsville cannot terminate the fire chief, nor redefine the chief's duties, revise the chief’s job description, or demote the chief without the approval of the town council.

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A lawsuit challenging a COVID19 vaccine mandate for San Diego firefighters and police officers has been filed in San Diego County Superior Court. The suit was filed by SDFD Captain Justus Norgord, two police officers and a private non-profit, Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids.

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A Missouri fire district has filed suit against a local municipality who it claims is obstructing its ability to construct and open a badly needed firehouse. The Monarch Fire Protection District filed suit against the City of Wildwood last week seeking injunctive relief.

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A new law in Maine went into effect on January 1, 2022 that mandates the installation of gas detectors in a broad range of occupancies, including multi-family residences and rental units. The law was enacted after a propane explosion on September 16, 2019 in Farmington claimed the life of Fire Captain Michael Bell.

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Fifty firefighters with FDNY who were placed on leave without pay on November 1, 2021 because they had not been vaccinated for COVID19, have filed suit in US District Court alleging a violation of their due process rights. The suit was filed yesterday naming the city and Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro as defendants.

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Six Washington state firefighters who claim they are entitled to a religious exemption from the state’s COVID vaccine mandate, have filed a class action lawsuit against two King County regional fire organizations, at least 20 municipalities, 19 fire chiefs, and the county medical director.

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A firefighter-plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the legality of a COVID19 vaccine mandate in Orange County, Florida, has been terminated for refusing to issue reprimands to firefighters who did not get vaccinated. That in turn has prompted Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis to call for a special legislative session to enact laws that would prohibit such terminations.

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FDNY Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro was in US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, called before Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis to answer questions about why the discipline of nine firefighters for racists remarks was not made public.

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The town of Brookline, Massachusetts has agreed to pay an African American firefighter $11 million to settle a dispute that dates back to 2010 and resulted in at least five separate lawsuits. Gerald Alston claims his problems began when a when a supervisor left a voice mail calling him a racial slur while he was off on a work-related injury.

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A lawsuit filed by a non-profit organization representing 529 Los Angeles city firefighters has filed suit against the city seeking to challenge its vaccine mandate. The mandate adopted August 16, 2021 requires all City employees report their vaccination status to the city by October 19, 2021, and be vaccinated or obtain an exemption by October 20, 2021.

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